as in disrepair
the state of being unattended to or not cared for
the sad dilapidation of the old downtown movie theater has finally prompted local preservationists to mount a restoration campaign
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Recent Examples of dilapidation
The whole place is marked by decay and dilapidation.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
The opening of an 11-room boutique hotel is an unremarkable affair in most places, but amid the rutted and vibrant dilapidation of Cayo Hueso, a working-class stronghold of central Havana, Andrés Levín's Tribe Caribe is a beacon.
—Lydia Bell, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Dec. 2024
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
The opening of an 11-room boutique hotel is an unremarkable affair in most places, but amid the rutted and vibrant dilapidation of Cayo Hueso, a working-class stronghold of central Havana, Andrés Levín's Tribe Caribe is a beacon.
—Lydia Bell, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilapidation
disrepair
Noun
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When a property falls into disrepair — whether through abandonment, a neglectful landlord, or the owner can't keep up — neighbors start to worry about the impact on their community.—
Meghan Schiller,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
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The farm has been so long neglected that its barn and homestead are in complete disrepair, its fields untended and its livestock distributed among the villagers, none of whom volunteer to return the animals.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dilapidation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilapidation. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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